Director, HR Salary in the United States

How much does a Director, HR make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Director, HR in the United States is $172,310 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $83.

However, a Director, HR's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $206,482
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $157,124 to $190,197
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $143,298
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View as table View as graph 25% $157,124 10% $143,298 90% $206,482 75% $190,197 $172,310 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Director, HR Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $190,197 $15,850 $3,658 $91
Average $172,310 $14,359 $3,314 $83
25th Percentile $157,124 $13,094 $3,022 $76
Check out Director, HR Job Openings in the United States
HR Director

Relate Search - Cincinnati, OH

Global HR OPEX Director

Eaton Plc - Beachwood, OH

Director, HR and Recruiting

La Senza - Columbus, OH

Director, HR Business Partner

LexisNexis - Dayton, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Director, HR Salaries

A Director, HR's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Director, HR Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Director, HR's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $121,628
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $152,467
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $170,994
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $195,442
  • Expert (over 8 years): $226,676
Levels Salary
Human Res... Level Director, HR$121,628
Associate... Level Director, HR$152,467
Director,... Level Director, HR$170,994
VP of Hum... Level Director, HR$195,442
SVP of Hu... Level Director, HR$226,676
$121,628 0 yr
$152,467 < 2 yrs
$170,994 2-4 yrs
$195,442 5-8 yrs
$226,676 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Director, HRs

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $217,335
  • San Francisco: $215,198
  • Oakland: $210,425

What Skills Can Increase a Director, HR's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 14.86% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Onboarding (Mentioned in 2.11% Job Postings): Onboarding, also known as organizational socialization, is management jargon first created in the 1970's that refers to the mechanism through which new employees acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviors in order to become effective organizational members and insiders. It is the process of integrating a new employee into the organization and its culture. Tactics used in this process include formal meetings, lectures, videos, printed materials, or computer-based orientations to introduce newcomers to their new jobs and organizations. Research has demonstrated that these socialization techniques lead to positive outcomes for new employees such as higher job satisfaction, better job performance, greater organizational commitment, and reduction in occupational stress and intent to quit.. These outcomes are particularly important to an organization looking to retain a competitive advantage in an increasingly mobile and globalized workforce. In the United States, for example, up to 25% of workers are organizational newcomers engaged in an onboarding process. The term induction is used instead in regions such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and parts of Europe. This is known in some parts of the world as training.
  • Labor Relations (Mentioned in 1.17% Job Postings): Is the term used to define the process between employers and employees, management and unions in order to make decisions in organizations. The decisions taken refer to wages, working conditions, hours of work, and safety at work, security and grievances.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 14.86%
Onboarding 2.11%
Labor Relations 1.17%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Director, HR's salary.
  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Alignment: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Change Management: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Insight
$182,649
6%
Alignment
$180,926
5%
Change Management
$180,926
5%
Consulting
$179,202
4%
Coaching
$179,202
4%
Talent Management
$179,202
4%
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How Education impacts a Director, HR's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Director, HRs enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Director, HR with a Bachelor's Degree is between $176,586 and $188,502).

Director, HR Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Director, HR
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.2%
High School 7.1%
Associates 5.1%
Bachelors 45.4%
Masters 37.2%
Doctorate 3.9%
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Director, HR Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Director, HR's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on April 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Director, HR

Salaries for a Director, HR can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $159,746 in 2023 to around $156,535 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Director, HR salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Director, HR Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$159,746
2024
$158,391
2025
$156,535
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $159,746
2024 $158,391
2025 $156,535
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Director, HR

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Director, HR

Here are companies hiring for Director, HR and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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